Ribble is blending digital with the physical to “create a unique, totally immersive and all-sensory consumer experience” with its new flagship showroom.
The new 2000sq ft showroom is in the heart of the Ribble Valley… in Clitheroe, more precisely.
> Review: Ribble CGR Ti Sport
The British ‘digital-first’ business says that the spacious showroom has been designed to individually showcase every bike in the range, along with providing a generous amount of space to allow the customer to interact with the bikes.
“Sense of space also expands to consumers being given control over their own environment with information immediately at their fingertips: dedicated product information is contained on digital display screens beside every bike on display, allowing the customer to truly experience the bike in action alongside key information including spec, geometry, pricing, FAQ’s and reviews,” Ribble says.
Team members are also on-hand to answer any questions and provide further assistance.
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The showroom features a 4k video wall, which is claimed to be the largest indoor version in Europe.
Ribble’s BikeBuilder tool for customising componentry is on display in-store, as well as a Custom Colour display featuring all the colours and finishes available.
Believe it or not, a signature scent has also been created to use in-store that is said to further enhance this sensory experience.
The new flagship store also houses the Ribble Live virtual showroom team allowing customers from all around the world to speak with one of the experts via a live one-way video chat and to experience the store from the comfort of their own home.
From the summer onwards, Ribble also plans to host events and activities at the store, including regular ride-outs, evening talks, technical ‘how to’ classes, screenings and Zwift events.
Open seven days a week, the full address of flagship showroom is:
Ribble Cycles, Unit 1, Barrow Brook Trade Park, Barrow Brook, Clitheroe BB7 9BQ
15 thoughts on “Ribble Cycles opens new flagship showroom for a ‘sensory’ bike-buying experience”
Are you sure the ‘signature
Are you sure the ‘signature scent’ isn’t just a call-back to their April Fool that their bike builder would allow you to pick a custom scent to be applied to your bike?
They mean not liberal
They mean not liberal dashings of GT85 mixed with rubber tyres then 😉
The ability of marketing
The ability of marketing people to make-believe the opposite of truth always keeps me entertained. I’m guessing that[i] “truly experience the bike in action”[/i] is the one thing you can’t do with the bikes in this boutique.
Yes, the one thing I want to
Yes, the one thing I want to do when spending thousands on a bike is test ride it – no mention of it. Good luck to them, though.
I find the whole description
I find the whole description of the place quite off-putting!
The good people of clitheroe
The good people of clitheroe may mistake this for a crashed ufo
Blimey, all that is going to
Blimey, all that is going to need paying for. I am not sure they can increase prices even more. I also agree with others, you can have a fancy a showroom as you like, but without a test ride I might as well order from an internet only company.
Ribble got bought by
Ribble got bought by investment dollars. This is a simple result of it. The investors want a return so with extra cash you hire a retail ‘expert’ to make a purchase a pleasurable experience.
Looks awesome, and a taste of
Looks awesome, and a taste of things to come – a golden age of British bike brands taking advantage of those Brexit dividends
Yep, good job they didn’t
Yep, good job they didn’t decide to pay back all the additional VAT for people who bought from abroad but whose bikes weren’t ready until Jan for delivery and reaped the Brexit Dividends.
They actually didn’t have to but decided to provide good customer service as the additional VAT hit was unknown when the items were ordered several months earlier . (Or they messed up the paperwork initially, I’m unsure).
A slight tangent, but that
A slight tangent, but that bike shop smell of rubber always transports me back 50+ years to standing in the Clive Stuart cycle shop in Welling, kent(which became Bird Brothers) looking at Campag equipped race bikes and dreaming of owning one with the smell of hundreds of tubular tyres hanging in rows from the ceiling. Even to this day when new tyres arrive, I cannot resist a sniff. Not sure I should confess to this, but I’m sure I’m not the only one!
I wonder if the ‘new’
I wonder if the ‘new’ showroom will carry on Ribbles’ unenviable reputation for customer service. As in, once you wheel it out of the door, they don’t give a fuck about you, and any issues you may have with it. In the local area, Ribble have a dreadful reputation. It’s former owner, Terry Dove would happily tell you the only reason he knocked the prices down was because he knew, such was their reputation, if they charged retail prices, nobody would shop with them.
I’ve got to say that I’ve
I’ve got to say that I’ve actually had great customer service from them in the 18 months I’ve owned my CGR. They’ve replied pretty quickly to the couple of email questions I’ve sent them, and even sent out some extra C clips for the brake hose on the downtube for free when I asked them if they sold them on the site. While I’ve not had anything major I’ve needed to deal with them with I certainly can’t complain.
You don’t say if you have
You don’t say if you have experienced it yourself or are just repeating what you have heard.
I personally dropped them a note asking about the geometry of an older model of theirs and I got a pleasant note saying they would have a look and they a follow up saying they couldn’t find anything.
So my actual personal Ribble experience has been positive.
First hand experience, plus
First hand experience, plus from other guys in the club.